One of life's bigger questions.

[AG31]

So today a guy stopped at our house, a country house far from neighbors, lightly travelled road, no sidewalks, etc., etc.

He said he was out of gas, so hubby gave him a five gallon can of gas. That was three hours ago. We'd expected him to return with the can, or maybe later with a full can.

The big question is this. If this happened to you, would you give the next stranded motorist who came to your door a can of gas?

We're torn.

 

[JusticeGrey]

That's pretty fucked up. Gas is expensive, you went out of your way to help. I can see not wanting to help the next person, even though they haven't screwed you over yet.

Maybe have the next person leave their cell phone as collateral.

 

[Saint_Ann]

I'd drive them to their car.

On a sidenote, I think you meant "biggest."

 

[butters]

So today a guy stopped at our house, a country house far from neighbors, lightly travelled road, no sidewalks, etc., etc.

He said he was out of gas, so hubby gave him a five gallon can of gas. That was three hours ago. We'd expected him to return with the can, or maybe later with a full can.

The big question is this. If this happened to you, would you give the next stranded motorist who came to your door a can of gas?

We're torn.

honestly? that sounds like one of life's much smaller problems...an annoyance, an action setting off a sense of disgruntlement but one of life's bigger problems? i would take a look at your priorities, truly

you don't know where they went, what they had to deal with, if they got into an accident or had to be in work for 8+ hours. Of course they could just be some chancer, and you did a good thing, but with all that goes on in the world—MAJOR crimes, war, rape, pedophilia, starvation, abuses of the unprotected—it really IS a minor thing. They may yet return with your gas, your can, perhaps even some thankyou gift. If not, you shouldn't hold it against the next person in need. How would you feel if you got caught in a similar situation and the only people you could ask for help refused because some tosser once before did the dirty on them?

 

[butters]

That's pretty fucked up. Gas is expensive, you went out of your way to help. I can see not wanting to help the next person, even though they haven't screwed you over yet.

Maybe have the next person leave their cell phone as collateral.

in a rural setting with a very lightly traveled road? what if their car gets into an accident, or they get ill? without their phone to call for help...

*sighs*

maybe next time they'd be better just giving the driver one or two gallons...enough to see them to a station but not enough to fret over too badly if it doesn't get returned.

 

[AG31]

honestly? that sounds like one of life's much smaller problems...an annoyance, an action setting off a sense of disgruntlement but one of life's bigger problems? i would take a look at your priorities, truly

you don't know where they went, what they had to deal with, if they got into an accident or had to be in work for 8+ hours. Of course they could just be some chancer, and you did a good thing, but with all that goes on in the world—MAJOR crimes, war, rape, pedophilia, starvation, abuses of the unprotected—it really IS a minor thing. They may yet return with your gas, your can, perhaps even some thankyou gift. If not, you shouldn't hold it against the next person in need. How would you feel if you got caught in a similar situation and the only people you could ask for help refused because some tosser once before did the dirty on them?

I clearly should have put one of those sarcastic smileys in my post. It never dawned on me that anyone would think I really thought it was a big life question. More funny. But a legit question if the circumstance comes up again.

 

[FataMorgana]

So today a guy stopped at our house, a country house far from neighbors, lightly travelled road, no sidewalks, etc., etc.

He said he was out of gas, so hubby gave him a five gallon can of gas. That was three hours ago. We'd expected him to return with the can, or maybe later with a full can.

The big question is this. If this happened to you, would you give the next stranded motorist who came to your door a can of gas?

We're torn.

Dear god no. They could be a murderer. Or worse, a Jehovah's Witness.

 

[Britva415]

Maybe the answer here is to talk out loud about expectations instead of just assuming everyone's on the same page.

That's definitely a critical life lesson.

 

[RoperTrace]

I was going to work early one morning and stopped at my favorite restaurant for breakfast. A young guy approached me in the parking lot(it was still dark) and asked if I could give him a few bucks for gas. He explained that he and his young wife had to stop the previous night at a motel, and they spent all their money. I saw her sitting in the car holding a baby.

I asked where he was headed, it was a two or three hour trip. I gave him $30.00 and said, A few bucks won't buy much gas. I told him to get some breakfast for his wife and baby also. He wanted my name and address to be able to repay me. I told him just to pay it forward to someone when they need some gas or something to eat.

 

[FL30]

That's pretty fucked up. Gas is expensive, you went out of your way to help. I can see not wanting to help the next person, even though they haven't screwed you over yet.

Maybe have the next person leave their cell phone as collateral.

or actually their driver's license. A lot of places require you to leave your DL for gas cans.

 

[FGB]

You did what was in you to do and you will do thew same next time.

Nothing is hidden.

If you are really pissed at him PRAY for him...a bunch!

In the fullness of time tell us, if it is made known to you, what if anything happened.

 

[allclad]

Btw, who was the fag poster that said Keith only tuned his guitar? Because you're a fag.

 

[TrailerHitch]

5 gallons of gas? You are way more generous than me. I had a guy stop at my house here in rural Tennessee and ask for some gas, I said I had a gallon of gas he could have and gave it to him. I had no expectations of getting my gas can back and I didn't. It was no big deal to me to lose that gallon of gas and an old one gallon plastic gas can. Sometimes helping someone else costs a little bit.

 

[patient1]

Interesting. Grew up on a farm. Close to the main road that went the length of the valley. The nearby farmsteads were about a third of a mile back from the road, so we tended to get a lot of stranded motorists. Usually they ran out of gas because they miscalculated. Frequently it was some cheapskate that had their car for sale and was still driving it and didn't want to put any more gas in the tank. Otherwise it was people who couldn't afford to fill their tanks. Normal procedure was to give them a gallon of gas in a plastic jug, accept whatever they offered, and if they didn't have the cash tell them not to worry about it, or help somebody else when the time came. A gallon was more than enough to get them to the next town.

Sure, once a big rig ran out of fuel, and he wanted about thirty gallons so that he wasn't sucking air on the hills once he was re-primed, but he had the cash. Just happened to have water or dirty fuel in the bottom of his tanks, and miscalculated by a few miles. Then there were the tires. Usually women, who either didn't have the know-how or else the strength to do the task. Helped with those. Not a big deal. Flat tires seemed like a weekly thing for us with all of our vehicles and equipment.

Sure, it cost us time and money. But not much to any one person. We didn't give away gas cans. If we used a gas can we poured the gas in their car. Well, there was this one family who were repeat customers, but they were notoriously stupid, so it was the old "never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity alone" rule, and it was a running joke with us.

In the grand scheme of things, I have been very grateful for everyone who ever gave me a tow, or water for my radiator, or let me use their phone over the course of my life when I was a stranded motorist. I feel I have been well repayed in the karmic sense. I don't remember ever running out of gas, and getting it from strangers, but it's possible.

 

[TrailerHitch]

Interesting. Grew up on a farm. Close to the main road that went the length of the valley. The nearby farmsteads were about a third of a mile back from the road, so we tended to get a lot of stranded motorists. Usually they ran out of gas because they miscalculated. Frequently it was some cheapskate that had their car for sale and was still driving it and didn't want to put any more gas in the tank. Otherwise it was people who couldn't afford to fill their tanks. Normal procedure was to give them a gallon of gas in a plastic jug, accept whatever they offered, and if they didn't have the cash tell them not to worry about it, or help somebody else when the time came. A gallon was more than enough to get them to the next town.

Sure, once a big rig ran out of fuel, and he wanted about thirty gallons so that he wasn't sucking air on the hills once he was re-primed, but he had the cash. Just happened to have water or dirty fuel in the bottom of his tanks, and miscalculated by a few miles. Then there were the tires. Usually women, who either didn't have the know-how or else the strength to do the task. Helped with those. Not a big deal. Flat tires seemed like a weekly thing for us with all of our vehicles and equipment.

Sure, it cost us time and money. But not much to any one person. We didn't give away gas cans. If we used a gas can we poured the gas in their car. Well, there was this one family who were repeat customers, but they were notoriously stupid, so it was the old "never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity alone" rule, and it was a running joke with us.

In the grand scheme of things, I have been very grateful for everyone who ever gave me a tow, or water for my radiator, or let me use their phone over the course of my life when I was a stranded motorist. I feel I have been well repayed in the karmic sense. I don't remember ever running out of gas, and getting it from strangers, but it's possible.

When I lived in Wisconsin I had an old Ford 9N tractor that pulled many a motorist out of a snow bank either in my front ditch or down the road at the county park. Never asked for a cent for doing it. Just seemed like then right thing to do. I always made them hook the chain to their vehicle and made it clear any damage was their responsibility.